Head-to-Head Specification Audit
Supabase vs PayFast
Open Source Firebase Alternative · Global
Specification Matrix
| Metric | Supabase | PayFast |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $25/mo | CustomBetter |
| API Rate Limit | 500 req/minBetter | 60 req/min |
| Target Country | Global | South Africa |
| Category | Database & Backend | Payment Processing API |
| Compliance | SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA-Enterprise | POPIA, PCI-DSS |
| Hosting Regions | EU-West, US-East, AP-Southeast | ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg |
| Native Integrations | 6 listedBetter | 6 listed |
Supabase — Key Specs
- ✓PostgreSQL with RLS, Edge Functions, Realtime, Auth, Storage
- ✓pgvector extension: vector similarity search without Pinecone
- ✓SOC 2 Type II, GDPR DPA (EU data residency available)
- ✓Free tier: 500MB database + 2GB storage forever
PayFast — Key Specs
- ✓Only major payment gateway with POPIA-compliant ZA data residency by default
- ✓Supports EFT, credit card, Instant EFT, Mobicred, and SnapScan natively
- ✓No monthly fee — pay 2.0–3.5% per transaction only
- ✓Recurring billing API supports subscription SaaS models out of the box
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cheaper, Supabase or PayFast?+
PayFast starts at $0/mo, which is lower than Supabase at $25/mo.
Which tool is better for compliance — Supabase or PayFast?+
Supabase additionally supports SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA-Enterprise. PayFast additionally supports POPIA, PCI-DSS.
Is Supabase or PayFast compliant with South Africa's POPIA?+
PayFast supports POPIA compliance. Supabase does not list POPIA as a supported framework.
Which has a higher API rate limit — Supabase or PayFast?+
Supabase has a higher API rate limit at 500 requests per minute. Supabase: 500 req/min. PayFast: 60 req/min.
Which tool is better suited for Global?+
Supabase is evaluated for Open Source Firebase Alternative in Global with hosting regions: EU-West, US-East, AP-Southeast. PayFast has hosting regions: ZA-Cape-Town, ZA-Johannesburg. For data residency in Global, check each vendor's data processing agreements.
Data last verified: 26 June 2026
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